PAPERS, &c. Milord, No. i. Londres le 23 May, 1802. L'ARTICLE X. du Traité d'Amiens, qui deter mine la nouvelle Organisation de l'Ordre de Malthe, ayant preferit differentes Mefures, a l'Execution des quelles doivent concourir les Deux Principales Puiflances Contractantes, le Premier Conful a nommé le Général Vial, Miniftre Plenipotentiaire près l'Ordre et l'Ile de Malthe, pour se concerter avec la Perfonne que Sa Majefté Britannique nommera à cet Effet, fur l'Execution des Arrangemens convenus dans le dernier Traité. Le General Vial se rendra à sa Destination, auffitot que votre Excellence m'aura fait connoitre le Choix et les Intentions de Sa Majesté. J'ai l'Honneur d'être, avec la Confideration la plus diftinguée, Milord, de Votre Excellence, &c. Son Excellence Milord Hawkefbury, Miniftre et Secretaire d'Etat, &c. &c. &c. OTTO. My Lord, Tranflation. London, May 23, 1802. THE 10th Article of the Treaty of Amiens, which fixes the new Organization of the Order of Malta, having prescribed various Measures, to the Execution of which it is neceffary that the Two principal Contracting Powers fhould concur, the First Conful has named General Vial as Minifter Plenipotentiary to the Order and Iland of Malta, for the Purpose of concerting with the Perfon whom His Britannick Majefty fhall appoint for that Purpofe, refpecting the Execution of the Arrangements agreed upon in the late Treaty. General Vial will fet out on his Deftination as foon as your Excellency fhall have informed me of His Majefty's Intentions, and of the Choice he may make. I have the Honor to be, &c. OTTO. אן Sir, No. 2. Downing Street, May 24, 1802., N Answer to your Letter of Yesterday, in which you communicate to me the Nomination, by the Firft Conful, of General Vial to be Minister Plenipotentiary of the French Republick, to the Order of Saint John of Jerufalem; I have the Honor to inform you that the King has been pleased to ap point Sir Alexander Ball to be His Majefty's Minifter to the Order. Sir Alexander Ball will fhortly proceed to Malta, and will be inftructed to concert with General Vial the neceffary Measures for carrying into Effect the Arrangements relative to that Island, which are ftipulated in the 10th Article of the Definitive Treaty of Peace. I have the Honor to be, &c. HAWKESBURY. M. Otto, &c. &c. &c. No. 3. Extract of a Difpatch from Lord St. Helens to Lord Hawkesbury, dated St. Peterfburgh, April 23, 1802. HOPE very foon to be enabled to re-dispatch your Lordship's laft Meffenger with the Answer of this Government to the Communications which I have made to them, in Obedience to His Majesty's Commands, refpecting the Tenth Article of the Treaty of Amiens. In the mean Time I muft not conceal from your Lordship, that there is great Reafon to fear that His Imperial Majefty will decline taking Part in the propofed joint Guaranty of the Poffeffions and new Conftitution of the Order of Malta. I No. 4. Extract of a Dispatch from Lord St. Helens to Lord Hawkesbury, dated Petersburgh, May 7, 1802. HAVE Reason to hope that the First Impreffions that had been produced here by certain Parts of the Arrangement relative to Malta, have been removed; and that His Imperial Majefty may even be ultimately induced to guarranty the Whole of that Arrangement; provided that the Steps which have been taken towards the Election of a new Grand Master, according to the Mode fuggefted by this Court, be confidered as fulfilling what is required on that Head by the latter Part of the Paragraph of the Tenth Article of the Treaty of Amiens; and confequently that no new Election for that Office is to take place in the Manner pointed out by the former Part of the fame Stipu lation. I Sir, No. 5. Downing Street, June 5, 1802. INFORMED you in my Dispatch No. 10, that M. Otto had made an official Communication to me, that General Vial was appointed by the First Conful Minister Plenipotentiary to the Order of St. John of Jerufalem. Sir Alexander Ball has been in confequence invested with the fame Character by His Majefty. He will proceed immediately to Malta, Malta, and he will receive Inftructions to concert with General Vial the best Means of carrying into complete Effect the Stipulations contained in the 10th Article of the Definitive Treaty. By the Paragraph marked No. 1. in that Article, it is ftipulated: "The Knights of the Order, whose Langues fhall "continue to fubfift after the Exchange of the Ra"tifications of the prefent Treaty, are invited to "return to Malta as foon as that Exchange fhall "have taken place: They fhall there form a Ge"neral Chapter, and fhall proceed to the Election "of a Grand Mafter, to be chofen from amongst "the Natives of thofe Nations which preferve "Langues, if no fuch Election fhall have been "already made fince the Exchange of the Ratifi"cations of the Preliminary Articles of Peace.” The Object of this Paragraph was, that in the Event of an Election having taken place fubfequent to the Exchange of the Ratifications of the Preliminary Articles of Peace, and antecedent to the Conclufion of the Definitive Treaty, that Election fhould be confidered as valid; and though no Mention is made in the Article of the Proclamation of the Emperor of Ruffia foon after His Acceffion to the Throne, by which the Knights of the Order were invited to affemble, and to proceed to the Election of a Grand Mafter, the Stipulation in Question evidently referred to the Contingency of an Election taking place on the Continent in confequence of that Proclamation. |